Nut-lock.



r'rnD ,STATESA PATENT @Finca JOHN GARLAND DEADERICK, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECEFICATIONformng part of Letters Patent No. 646,895, dated April 3,1900.

Application filed January 24, 1900. Serial No. 2,644. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GARLAND DEAD- ERICK, a citizen of the United States, residingv at Memphis, Shelby county, State of Tennessee, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to nut-locks, and particularly to that class of looks in which -it may be desired to remove the nut at some subsequent time; and it has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, and effectiveA device which will positively lock the nut against accidental loosening or removal and yet will permit its removal when it is so desired. I accomplish this objectby the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth in this specification, drawings, and claims. Y

In railroad-work the joint between the two rails is made by using a pair of angle-bars 2 3,

- one on each side of the rail, held together by bolts passing through the rail and angle-bars. These joints vibrate so constantly under passing trains that the nut soon jars loose, resulting in excessive wear to theV rail ends, and, finally, if great care is not taken, in probable disaster. Since this same result occurs, too, in nearly Vevery place and condition under which bolts and nuts are used, the question becomes one of vital importance to provide efficient means of keeping the nuts tight. In order to hold these nuts in place, many dev vices have been made and tried, but the inajority of these, even if otherwise successful, are faulty in not allowing removal of the nut when it is desired. In my invention I have obviated this by providing a means of easily removing the nut whenever it may be necessary or desirable.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective drawing of a nut-lock involving all the essential features of my invention as applied to railroad-work. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a bolt and nut and looking and unlocking washers as designed for use on wood. Fig. 3 is an parts in all the views, l is the end of an ordinary T-rail for railroads, which rail is joined to the next rail by means of a pair of angle-bars 2 3. These angle-bars 2 3 are held together by bolts l0, passing through holes therein and holes in the web of the rail, which holes are punched to register with each other. The bolt l0 having been put in. place through the angle-bars and rail, a lookingplate 4 and an unlocking-plate 5 are slipped on the end of the plate and the nut 9 screwed to its seat. The locking-plated is a washer-V plate of thin spring metal, having a hole 14 therein to permit the passage of the bolt and having a spring-tongue 6 struck up on one side to engage cuts in the underside of the nut 9.

This tongue 6 extends from the central hole 14 outward toward'the edge of the plate; but the said plate is large enough to permit the striking up of the said tongue without cutting through to the edge ot' the plate, thus leaving a surrounding integral plate to prevent distortion under pressure. A straight `side 15 rests against the base l9of the angleably made slightly smaller than the lookingplate to permit of its being turned thereon and has its ends or'sides ll turned up to permit the use of a wrench or other means for turning the plate when it is desired to release the nut.' In railroad usage the space between the bottom of the ball of the rail 1 and the flange 19 of the angle-bar 2 is necessarily limited, and an unlocking-washer 5 having only two of its ends, as 11, turned up could not be easily handled. l therefore for such and similarcases turn up the unlocking-washer 5 not only at the ends, but at the sides, as shown in Fig. l, and in such case it is also necessary to cut away the corners 12 .to permit the unlocking-washer to be turned IOO and when the nut 9 seats the tongue 6 engages with the notches S, cut in the bottom ot the nuts.

In Fig. 2 I illustrate aform oflocking-plate 4 for use with woodwork. In this view, 13 are points or corners turned down, which corners sink into the Wood to prevent the plate 4 from turning. This view also shows the size of the unlocking-plate 5 with reference to the locking-plate 4 and the nut 9. It also shows the tongue 6, projecting through the opening 7, cut in the unlocking-plate 5 and engaging the notches 8, cut in the bottom of the nut 9. In Fig. 3, 18 shows the thread in the nut.

To use the lock, the locking-plate 4 is first slipped on the bolt, with the spring-tongue 6 turned toward the end ot' the bolt. The unlocking-plate 5 is next put on thebolt against the locking-plate 4 and in such position that the opening 7 comes over the tongue 6 and allows the same to project through. When now the nut 9 is screwed up, the plates 4 and 5 remain stationary, and the tongue 6 catches the notches S around the under side of the nut 9 in succession as the nut is turned, effectually preventing the nut from loosening as long as it is left undisturbed.

To loosen and remove the nut, the unlocking-plate 5 is turned in the direction of the rroW shown in Fig. 5, which is the direction 'the nut is turned, with a right-hand thread,

to tighten it, and the edge 17 of the unlocking-washer depresses the tongue (i of the locking-plate until it removes it from the notch 8 in the nut 9 and leaves the nut tree to be unscrewed.

While I have described in this specification only two means of preventing the lockingplate from turning-'L'. e., the straight side 15 and the points 13-it is of course evident that any well-known means may be used for this purpose, such as a hole 20, which ts over a projection on one of the plates to be fastened, no claim being made for this particular feature of the lock. It is also to be understood that I do not conne myself to the use of one tongue 6, struck up from the ylocking-plate, but that two or more may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, further, though I have shown only rectangular plates in this speciication and drawings, it is evident that the exact shape of same is not to be considered, such departures from the strict details being well within the scope of this patent.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. As a nut-lock, the combination with a bolt, and a nut having a notched or serrated under side; of a locking-plate of spring metal, having a tongue struck up from it to engage with the serrations on the nut, means to prevent the turning of the said plate, and an unlocking-plate disposed between the said locking-plate and the nut, said unlockingplate having a portioncut away to allow the tongue of the locking-plate to pass through and engage the nut when the plates register,

.but adapted to depress the tongue when the unlocking-plate is rotated out ot' register, substantially as shown and described.

2. As a nut-lock, the combination with a bolt, and a serrated or notched nut thereon, of a locking-plate, and an unlocking-plate between the llocking-plate and the nut, the said locking-plate having means to prevent its turning and a tongue struck up from it, adapted to pass through the unlocking-plate and engage the serrations on the nut whenthe plates register, and to be depressed ont of engagement with the nut when the unlocking-plate is rotated out ot register; the said unlocking-plate having a portion cut away to permit the passage of the tongue when the plates register and projecting ears to furnish means of rotating the unlockingplate out of register to depress the tongue, and permit the removal of the nut, substantially as shown and described.

3. As a nut-lock, the combination with a bolt, and a nut having notches or serrations on its under side; of an integral plate of resilient metal having a tongue struck up out of the plate but leaving same integral, said plate also having means of preventing its turning, and an integral unlocking-plate disposed between the nut and the locking-plate, having an opening cut out at one side of the bolt-hole to register with and permit the passage of the tongue, and ears turned up by means of which the unlocking-plate may be rotated out of register with the locking-plate to depress the tongue and permit the removal of the nut substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN GARLAND DEADERICK.

Witnesses:

J oHN O. SIMS, JOHN M. EDGERLEY.

IOO 

